Symptom Checker

Step 4: Read and complete the decision guide to learn more about your symptoms.

Depression

Now, it's time to consider the severity of your depression. The severity of depression is always hard to estimate. First let's focus on mood.

There is no clear dividing line between mildly, moderately, or severely depressed mood. Even so-called "mild" depression can feel pretty awful.

Severely depressed mood seeps into every corner of life. You can't shake it. You might feel very sad, empty, or irritable. It feels distinctly different from anything you might consider normal, and leads to a sense of paralysis. You feel hopeless and worthless, you don't have the energy or desire to do anything, and you are simply not able to do the things you are normally expected to do.

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